Seacraft



May 23, 1939 s. TuRKovlcH 2,15%,410

SEACRAFT Filed May 21, 1937 IN VENTOR Patented May 23, 1939 2,159,41

UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE w o SEACRAFT Stephen r l'urkovich, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application `May 2,1,` 1937, Serial No. 143,990

1 Claim. (Cl. 1111-61) My invention relates to a new type of sea the craft is designed or intended to be used. craft, and important objects thereof are to pro- One of the upper decks 3 may be suitably arvide a Craft of the Character described, wherein ranged and constructed for the landing and takthe main body or superstructure of the ship does1 ing off of aeroplanes 5. Further, the ship struc- 5 Vrest upon but is spaced from the water, whichv ture embodies the necessary funnels 6, stacks 1, 5 is supported, sustained and propelled by a pluenclosures, or any other structures facilitating rality of relatively smaller power boats, which the operation and use of the craft, together with embodies a construction tending to camouflage hand or power operated life boats, tanks, rigging, same, which is simple in its construction and and any other equipment necessary to best meet arrangement, durable, speedy, light in weight, Conditions found in practice. 10 attractive in appearance, and comparati'vely eco- It will be apparent that the main body or ship nomical in its manufacture and operation. l may be Constructed in any other suitable man- With the foregoing and other objects in view, ner, instead of the preferred form thereof as which will appear as 'the description proceeds, herein illustrated and described, without departthe invention resides in the novel construction, ing from the principle or sacrificing any of the Vcombination and arrangement of parts herein advantages of the invention.

specifically described and illustrated in the ac- The entire main body of the ship or supercompanying drawing, but it is to be understood structure is carried above and spaced from the that changes in the form, proportions and details Water-line, indicated at 8, by a plurality of relaof construction may be resorted to that come tively small power boats 9. Each of the latter is 20 within the sccpe of the claim hereunto appended. joined with the ship by a suitable supporting In thedrawing wherein like numerals of referstructure IO, which also provides a suitable pasence designate corresponding parts throughout sage giving ready access between the ship and the several views: power boat.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a sea The front and rear end power boats 9 are pos- 25 craft constructed in accordance with the inventioned directly beneath the longitudinal Center tion. of the ship l adjacent to respective ends of the Figure 2 is a sectional View on line 2-2, Figlatter. The laterally disposed power boats are ure 1. positioned laterally outward of the ship to sta- Figures 3 and 4 are rear end Views of a power bilize the entire craft structure, and to eliminate 30 boat and the rudder, respectively. all tendency of the latter to topple over side- Referring in detail to the drawing denotes ways in either direction, even under the most the entire cargo carrying superstructure or main adverse or untoward conditions of the air or sea. body of the ship. vThe latter comprises a plu- The number and size of the power boats 9 is rality of large structural ribs 2, which are dissuch that, the latter combinedly W111 provide Suffi- 35 posed vertically and parallel in spaced relation cient buoyanoy 'G0 carry, sustain and support the to each other, and extend transversely around entire ship or superstructure i in its spaced the ship structure. Each of the structural ribs relation with the surface of the water in which is preferably an integral structure having a it S travelling- 40 rounded or Curved lower portion and a converged Each Of the Power 'bOatS 9 S DI'OVided With a 40 or reduced upper portion. pair of propellers l2, which are driven by an The structural ribs 2 are rigidly secured and independent power unit in the form of an electric fixed in their relative positions by a plurality of motor |3 mounted in each of said power boats. superimposed floors or decks 3 joned therewith By this arrangement, if one of the power units in any suitable manner and by any suitable type in one of the boats is impaired for any reason, 45 of securing and bracing structures H. The sides the DOWel' units in the Other boats Will not be of the main body of the Craft, between respective affected thereby and will propel the craft until ribs and decks are closed, preferably by suitable the disabled boat is repaired. heavy, reenforced glass panels 4. It is, of course, A suitable dual or two-bladed rudder |4, for

evident that the sides of the ship' or superstruosteering the craft, is carried by and depends 50 ture may be closed in or covered by steel plates from the ship adjacent 170 the real' end of the in accordance with the practice now in general latter, an is preferably electrically operated and use in ship construction. Controlled.

The interior arrangement and construction of An electric power plant |5 is preferably centhe ship is contingent upon the use for which tralized and installed in any suitable manner and 55 location in the superstructure or ship I. The

power plant |5 Supplies the necessary power for Operating and controlling the motors |3 of the power boats 9 and driving the propellers 12, for Operating and controlling the rudder |4, and for Operating and controlling all other lighting, heating and power devices and apparatus embodied in the craft structure.

It will here be noted that, the principle of my improved type of sea craft may be successfully embodied in any type or class of ocean vessel, regardless of whether the latter be prima-rily designed and employed fo-r transporting freight or passengers. Even war craft may be economically constructed in accordance with the invention.

The use of glass panels 4 in the sidesv of the ship I, in the manner set forth, provides an almost perfect camoufiage, making said ship nearly invisible at a distance at sea, and thereby afi'crding such camoufiage protection 'in case the latter is required for any reason, as in case of war and the like. Aside from this camouflage feature of the Craft construction, the glass panels I admit light throughout the entire ship structure.

The present invention provides a most eflicient, improved type of sea craft, which may be economically constructed and operated to facilitate and expedite water transportation.

What I claim is:

In a sea craft, the combination of a large enclosed cargo carrying superstructure, a plurality of comparatively small boats provided with propelling mechanisms joined with'said superstructure and being disposed in a pair of longitudinally aligned rows at and laterally outward of respective sides of said superstructure, a pair of comparatively smallboats provided with propelling mechanisms joined with said superstructure and being disposed at the longitudinal center of said superstructure adjacent to respective ends of the latter, said small boats supporting, and propelling said superstructure in spaced relation to the surface of the water, and a dual two-bladed rudder mechanism carried by the superstructure disposed intermediate of said pair of rows of laterally disposed small boats and adjacent to the rear boat of said pair of said centrally disposed small boats.

STEPHEN TURKOVICH. 

